Community-building

Durham resident Aidil Ortiz’s work- “A love letter to Durham”

By Stella Griffin

May 9, 2024

“I think that if you are a person who wants to feel sane, in any capacity, there’s a certain amount of reckoning and submission to the fact that the only constant is change,” she said. 

Ortiz embraces this constant in both her own life and in the city of Durham, which has grown with her.

Read more

Kramden Institute seeks to bridge the digital divide

By Danelis Olivera-Herrera

May 1, 2024

Tuesday, April 30, 2024 By Danelis Olivera-Herrera Owning a computer can be smooth sailing with no technical glitches for many years, or it can be fraught with issue after issue with the slightest twist of a cable disabling the screen for good. And if the latter happens, you can send your computer to the Kramden […]

Read more

Durham’s Chamber of Commerce chair seeks to revitalize town, empowering local businesses

By Campbell Atterbury

April 22, 2024

Monday, April 22, 2024 By Campbell Atterbury Tobias Rose is accomplished beyond his years.  With a natural innovative spirit, he creates his own hip-hop music on the side, co-founded the creative agency Kompleks Creative at age 21, designed a cover for The Foreign Exchange’s Grammy nominated single and helped establish the nonprofit Black Wall Street. […]

Read more

Durham’s food pantries face challenges as demand surges amid rising costs

By Danelis Olivera-Herrera

April 19, 2024

Friday, April 19, 2024 By Danelis Olivera-Herrera As the food bank deliveryman made his way inside the Iglesia Emanuel food pantry, carrying a dozen boxes, he stopped as he saw Margaret Rubiera, the volunteer manager. He told her there is less than usual, and he isn’t sure why. “It’s definitely less, but we’re grateful,” Rubiera […]

Read more

Sincerely Yours Salon celebrates 25 years of nurturing natural beauty

By Stella Griffin

April 2, 2024

“When I came here it felt different from the others,” Hill said. “In the other settings, stylists talk to each other, they play music and they kind of ignore the client. It’s just a trade and you feel like you’re a customer. When I came here, it was about the person in the chair.”

Read more

Entrepreneurship hub Provident1898 promotes community, entrepreneurship in Durham

By Campbell Atterbury

March 26, 2024

Tuesday, March 26, 2024 By Campbell Atterbury Within the walls of Mutual Tower in Durham, resting between cookie cutter office spaces, lies an entrepreneurship hub and coworking space Provident1898. Provident1898 distinguishes itself from other offices by offering a variety of workspaces for business teams from various companies to come in and work. Founders Carl Webb […]

Read more

Q&A: Julie Hinson fosters creativity and community at Outer Loop Arts 

By Alan Hunt

March 5, 2024

Tuesday, March 5, 2024 By Alan Hunt Durham native Julie Hinson is a potter and co-founder of Outer Loop Arts, a creative and retail space in the city’s Golden Belt district. The location hosts rentable studio space, classes and community events. Through word of mouth, social media and local art organizations, Hinson and her partner […]

Read more

Durham Woman Empowers Teens to Shape their own Futures

By Courtney Fisher

February 28, 2024

In East Durham, Destiny Alexander is giving teens the power to shape their own futures through the POOF Center. Standing for “Planning Our Own Futures/Funerals,” the center gives teens resources like financial knowledge, business experience, and travel to help prepare them for success in the real world.

Read more

Mike De Los Santos spreading love through food in East Durham

By Campbell Atterbury

February 27, 2024

Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024 By Campbell Atterbury When 16-year-old Mike De Los Santos took a playful jab at his boss’s way of making barbeque, his boss sighed and decided there was only one thing to do. Put him in charge.  Just like that, De Los Santos was responsible for the food truck that day. It […]

Read more

Marshall Williams Jr.: Beyond the Ballot – A Visionary’s Impact on Durham’s Future

By Carl Kenney

December 12, 2023

By Hannah Adams Published Dec. 12 Despite not securing victory in the Durham mayoral primary, 35-year-old IT sales leader Marshall Williams Jr. remains dedicated to addressing key issues and emphasizes his commitment to collaborative solutions. With a track record including captaining a football team, ranking top nationally in pharmaceutical sales, and pioneering technology startups, Williams […]

Read more

‘I’m just so happy that I get to make a difference’: The Story of Elijah King

By Audrey Kashatus

December 11, 2023

Elijah King was born and raised in Durham with his mom and little sister. By the time King turned 18-years-old, he had moved 11 different times.  King grew up witnessing things most kids his age couldn’t have imagined. He saw eviction, moving places under 24 hours, crashing at his grandparent’s house and even different pastor’s […]

Read more

Learning and growing from the Durham municipal elections

By Carl Kenney

November 22, 2023

Caroline Daly November 22, 2023 The election season for Durham mayor and city council were intense at times. I was not surprised by the outcome of the mayoral election because Leonardo Williams came out on top which was expected. However, my reporting focused more on the city council elections. Shelia Huggins was the candidate I […]

Read more

After years of underperforming, Glenn Elementary is quickly gaining ground

By Carl Kenney

November 1, 2023

With a master’s degree and the ability to speak two languages, kindergarten teacher Nancy Gonzalez had her pick of jobs at top-rated schools across North Carolina when she graduated in 2022. She chose Durham’s Glenn Elementary School, which was labeled as a “D” school at the time.  Last spring 100% of teachers replied “Yes” when […]

Read more

LGBTQ Community Thoughts After Durham’s Primary Elections

By Audrey Kashatus

October 31, 2023

As Durham gets closer to its municipal elections this year, one demographic has important topics on its mind when deciding between candidates.  The remaining two candidates for the mayor of Durham are Mike Woodard and Leonardo Williams. Sylvester Williams, who has previously opposed gay marriage and cited sexuality as a contributor to the high drug […]

Read more

‘To whom much is given, much is required’ – the mindset of Mayor candidate DeDreana Freeman

By Carl Kenney

October 6, 2023

By: Noel Harris October 6, 2023 As reporters and supporters gather at Durham City Hall, Councilwoman DeDreana Freeman stands about ten feet away with an unforgettable presence. Council member Monique Holsey-Hyman addresses being cleared of extortion allegations before turning her attention to Freeman. She says Freeman supported her during it all. She says Freeman risked […]

Read more

City council candidate Bonita Green impacts a Durham community with her legacy garden

By Carl Kenney

October 2, 2023

Bonita Green, community advocate and director of the Merrick-Moore Community Development Corporation, is running for City Council At-Large this fall with one significant campaign objective in mind: to promote meaningful and sustainable grassroots change. After moving back to Durham from Florida in 2012, Green noticed not only how much her community had changed, but how […]

Read more

Combating COVID through local investments

By Carl Kenney

April 17, 2021

Duke Energy Foundation invests in the youth-serving nonprofits and educational organizations to help combat the effects of COVID-19 on students. While the wide-ranging effects of COVID-19 reverberate across all communities in our state, youth-serving nonprofits and educational organizations continue to orient their focus to countering these effects in communities hit hardest by the pandemic. This […]

Read more

Spreading December cheer: Durham Children’s Initiative reimagines “Holiday Zone”

By Carl Kenney

December 23, 2020

Story by Madison Reese DCI Intern  The Durham VOICE Photos by Khadijah McFadden Teen Editor-in-Chief Durham Children’s Initiative (DCI) created “Holiday Zone” seven years ago to provide Christmas gifts for Durham families who need them. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, however, the traditional way Holiday Zone is executed had to change. The Holiday Zone […]

Read more

Community rallies to staff voting sites in Durham

By Palace Jones

October 30, 2020

The dire prospect of a shortage among Durham’s election poll workers, for fears of contracting and spreading Covid-19, could have resulted in even longer lines than we’re seeing in early voting. Fortunately, more than enough residents of Durham rose to perform a treasured civic duty by signing up to help voters enjoy a smooth and […]

Read more

LaMon Jones: carrying on the family stone masonry legacy

By Carl Kenney

April 2, 2020

He grew up around his family’s stone masonry business in Durham. Now, he wants to build on that foundation. LaMon Jones, 21, recently started a job with the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association, a nonprofit that works to protect water quality in Northeast Central Durham. Jones said he was able to get his job at ECWA […]

Read more

Barbershop Zumba keeps community moving during gym closures

By Carl Kenney

Samuel and Sons Barbershop on Angier Avenue has been a pillar of community in Northeast Central Durham for years. The coronavirus pandemic isn’t changing that. Samuel Jenkins, owner of Samuel and Sons, decided to transform the barbershop into a Zumba studio in order to keep people moving while many of Durham’s recreational facilities and gyms […]

Read more

Print VOICE in delivery

By Carl Kenney

March 10, 2020

Celebrating 10 years of publishing a lab community newspaper for Northeast Central Durham, the Durham VOICE hit the streets Feb. 22 with the first print edition of the spring, affording student writer-photographers the legacy experience of personal, hands-on newspaper delivery. With over 40 drop spots and a circulation of 2,000, the Durham VOICE is printed […]

Read more

Durham restaurant hosts Warren campaign event for locals

By Carl Kenney

Most people come to Zweli’s for the only Zimbabwean food in town, but some come to talk politics. On Friday, Feb. 21, Zweli’s, located in Durham, hosted an Elizabeth Warren presidential campaign event as part of its Dinner Table Talks speaker series. Leonardo Williams, who runs the restaurant with his wife, Zweli, said events like […]

Read more

African dance class creates lively community at Hayti Heritage Center

By Carl Kenney

For more than 15 years, a group of dancers and drummers – some experienced, some not – have come together once a month at the Hayti Heritage Center on Old Fayetteville Street for its Hayti Rhythms dance class. The class offers community members the chance to practice movements from the African diaspora and listen to […]

Read more

Durham officers trade badges for whistles to coach youth in Police Athletic League

By Carl Kenney

Northeast Central Durham is no stranger to interactions with law enforcement — but a program that connects youth with police through athletics is attempting to reduce juvenile crime and foster positive relationships between the community and officers. Sgt. Jessica Butler, unit supervisor, said the Durham Police Athletic League not only runs athletic camps, but also […]

Read more

Durham community kitchen offers free meals and smiles

By Carl Kenney

Beneath the faded New Visions of Africa sign, inside the unassuming barred building, Karen Santoro-Abdullah put a hand to her heart and choked back tears. “I love helping these people because it makes me feel good to give them respect,” Santoro-Abdullah said.  “Respect gives people hope; if people are treated with respect and a smile, it could encourage […]

Read more

Preview of PYO’s largest fundraiser of the year: Rise and Shine Breakfast

By Carl Kenney

The local nonprofit, Partners for Youth Opportunity (PYO), that serves Durham youth impacted by systemic injustice will hold its largest fundraiser of the year on March 5: the Rise and Shine Breakfast. PYO organizes the annual event to celebrate its accomplishments with attendees and to announce its plans to scale the nonprofit’s impact for the […]

Read more

Coworking space creates a network of community groups in Durham

By Carl Kenney

ReCity unites various organizations to fight against social issues within the city ReCity Network, a coworking social impact space, unites 47 organizations and over 100 community leaders to serve Durham.  The Durham-based network, located at 112 Broadway St., began in 2016 after a group of faith leaders found research indicating that shared space can increase […]

Read more

Sweets restore Durham business owner’s faith in humanity

By Carl Kenney

February 14, 2020

Coconut, mango-chile and lavender. You won’t typically find these cotton candy flavors anywhere but in Durham — and they are taking off because of Wonderpuff and its owner Jackie Morin. Wonderpuff is a black-owned eco-friendly business that is just one of the local dream businesses that the nonprofit Helius has helped make a reality through […]

Read more

Daddy-Daughter Date Night builds relationships through family fun

By Carl Kenney

February 13, 2020

Therese Daye knew that she had to keep her dream alive. For nearly a year she’d been planning to host a Daddy-Daughter Date Night for the fathers of Durham, but the heavy rainfall wouldn’t let up. A day before the Feb. 8 event was scheduled to occur, she learned that she’d no longer be able […]

Read more

Direct Affect Bully Kennel helps troubled youth and debunks myths

By Carl Kenney

At first, Durham dog breeder Dwanson Clark just wanted his money back. Six years ago, his fiancee, Candace Taylor, asked him to buy a dog to keep her company while Clark was deployed with the U.S. Navy. In 2016, Clark decided to breed a litter of seven puppies, hoping to recoup the money he’d spent […]

Read more

Duke’s film festival introduces attendees to aspects of African culture

By Carl Kenney

Mainland Africa is approximately 4,030 miles away from Durham, but Duke University is working to narrow the gap by bringing African stories to the campus community through film. This month Duke is hosting its fifth-annual African Film Festival, featuring stories from around the continent. The four-week festival, organized by the university’s Africa Initiative, will hold […]

Read more

Immerse yourself in the fifth annual Black History: Artists’ Perspectives Exhibition

By Carl Kenney

The Hayti Heritage Center presents its fifth annual Black History: Artists’ Perspectives Exhibition to bring African American artists together and honor the black experience. Five years ago, curator Willie Bigelow, who is a Durham resident and artist, came to Hayti Heritage Center Executive Director Angela Lee to design an exhibition that pays tribute to Black […]

Read more

Durham dreamers and readers celebrate MLK Day with donated books

By Carl Kenney

January 30, 2020

With over 1.2 million books donated since its founding, Book Harvest continues its dream of promoting reading and learning Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream — and so does Book Harvest, a Durham nonprofit that hosted its ninth annual Dream Big Book Drive and Community Celebration last week. “The Book Harvest dream is a […]

Read more

Hayti Heritage Center celebrates jazz drummer Max Roach

By Carl Kenney

Jazz legend Max Roach’s drums beat again Saturday night when five local musicians interpreted his rhythms to about 50 listeners at the Hayti Heritage Center. The concert, called “Freedom Day: A Tribute to Max Roach,” celebrated one of the most important drummers in modern jazz history, the Hayti musicians said. A North Carolina native born […]

Read more

Annual MLK Day Unity March and Rally sheds light and brings hope to Durham

By Carl Kenney

Monday morning, Jan. 20, about 250 marchers gathered in front of the NC Mutual Life building for Durham’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Unity March and Rally. The group gathered for a short opening, then marched to First Presbyterian Church on East Main Street where speakers addressed the crowd from the pulpit. Every year, […]

Read more

Exhibit, coalition highlight Durham housing inequality

By Carl Kenney

An exhibit created through a joint effort by First Presbyterian Church and Duke University Chapel entitled “Uneven Ground” opened on Jan. 3 to highlight the history of housing inequality and racial segregation in downtown Durham. Originally commissioned in 2019 for the 150th anniversary of Durham’s founding, the exhibit now serves as a tool for reflection, […]

Read more

MLK Play Days give displaced children a place to be kids again

By Carl Kenney

MLK Play Days, hosted by The W.G. Pearson Center and The Boys & Girls Club of Durham and Orange Counties, gave the displaced children from the McDougald Terrace community a place to play last Monday through Wednesday. Beginning Jan. 3, over 300 families from the McDougald Terrace community were evacuated indefinitely due to dangerous carbon […]

Read more

‘We want to be a resource’: SEEDS aims to serve Durham community

By Carl Kenney

As South Eastern Efforts Developing Sustainable Spaces (SEEDS) rings in the new year, Interim Executive Director Abby Goodman hopes to make their urban gardening programs more meaningful to all members of the Northeast Central Durham community. Founded in 1994, SEEDS is a two-acre urban garden and kitchen space located at 706 Gilbert St. The organization […]

Read more

Black Girl Ventures supports black business women in Durham

By Carl Kenney

Black Girl Ventures (BGV) has found a new home in North Carolina. Five local business women are coming together to establish a chapter of the Forbes-featured foundation in Durham. BGV provides a unique experience to combat the particular challenges that black and brown women face in starting and growing a business. The initiative was founded […]

Read more